


Sister of Mine

by JCBookworm



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Family Feels, Gen, Pre-Canon, at one point I switch POVs like it's a hot potato, honestly there will never be enough Andromeda & Narcissa fics, it's chill, technically, will someone please teach me to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-10 18:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20532662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCBookworm/pseuds/JCBookworm
Summary: After her engagement to Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Black pays a visit to an estranged family member.





	Sister of Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Just an idea I had that I finally managed to get down. As always, please tell me if there's an issue!
> 
> Takes place early 1973. I know that Tonks was born in 1973? So she's like a couple of months old here. Maybe. I don't know how babies act to be honest, but she' a very young baby. According to the timeline I have on my phone it should all add up.
> 
> Title from the poem of the same name by ToddMichael St. Pierre.

* * *

_Sister of mine, please know that I miss you,_

_As miles separate us in life as we roam._

_I close my eyes and we’re still together…_

_Splashing in puddles as we skip towards home._

_Picking wish-flowers and making mud-pies,_

_In fields of Summer, under apricot skies._

_Oh it really does seem like yesterday,_

_And I’ll always remember us this way._

_Sister of mine, please know that I love you,_

_No distance on earth, could alter this truth._

_Not a day passes, that I don’t think of you,_

_And far-away playgrounds in dreams of youth._

_ \-- Sister of Mine, _ToddMichael St. Pierre

* * *

**1973**

The knock on the door comes about in the evening. She’s home alone, apart from baby Dora; Ted escaped to the pub with some friends. She doesn’t blame him—Dora keeps on waking up and Ted, the wonder that he is, wakes up for it every single time. When the knock sounds throughout the house, startling Andromeda (who was just putting Nymphadora back down), it seems to echo through the house. Andromeda glances over to the door and, sighing, hands Dora her toy to try and keep her quiet.

Turns out new-born daughters are difficult.

Andromeda tucks her hair behind her ear and smooths her dress. It’s not likely to be an important visit, maybe Ted’s sister or one of their friends. Still, it’s an ingrained habit. The door opens.

The first thing she notices is that it’s raining outside. The second is the hooded figure standing almost nervously on the mat.

“Hello?” Andromeda asks, voice coolly casual, as she reaches for her wand. You can never be too careful. The figure hesitates, then carefully reaches up and lowers the hood with pale hands. Long blonde hair tumbles out.

“Hello Andromeda,” says Narcissa Black. “It’s good to see you.”

-o-o-o-

Andromeda isn’t really certain how long they stand there, staring at each other, only that she is broken out of the trance by the sound of a baby crying.

Nymphadora.

Andromeda starts, turning inwards. Narcissa follows her gaze, looking faintly alarmed.

“I- I’ve got to...” Andromeda motions inside. Narcissa nods, but tucks her hair behind one ear and glances around. Andromeda recognises the motion; it’s what Narcissa always did when she was feeling awkward. She considers just slamming the door in Narcissa’s face.

She holds it open a little bit wider.

“Come in.”

-o-o-o-

There are photos on the walls in neat frames. Narcissa steps forward. Then she hesitates, briefly checking for her sister as though she were about to do something wrong, before looking closer at them.

There is one of several students posing at a graduation, throwing the pointed hats in the air. Narcissa smothers a smirk at the photo Andromeda posing as she flicks the hat up, then catching it with a sweep of her wrist and a curtesy, laughing with her friends. There was several different houses. A blond Hufflepuff pulls her sister’s image closer—Narcissa tries to ignore that. Two Ravenclaws, a Gryffindor, another Slytherin girl who Narcissa recognises vaguely.

A bit further along that wall and there’s another photo, and Narcissa catches her breath when she sees it. Andromeda has a white dress on: lace on the bust and along her sleeves, then a gauzy white material for the skirt. She’s beaming, laughing at the camera. On one side of her—and Narcissa tries not to raise an eyebrow here— is Uncle Alphard, looking altogether too pleased with himself. On the other side, a hand around Andromeda’s waist, is the blond Hufflepuff. As Narcissa watches, he kisses her cheek, then grips her more firmly and lifts her in a spin. The skirt flares out, much larger than it had seemed, and Andromeda grabs his shoulders. When they land, she throws back her head in laughter. Narcissa’s mouth twists slightly.

The next photo is...quieter than the other two. It’s Andromeda with the same man, and in her arms is a small bundle. The photo moves and the pile of cloth turns its head to show a little baby, eyes closed. It wrinkles its nose in its sleep, mouth opening and closing silently. Andromeda looks up into the camera with a proud smile as she moves in closer to the man. He kisses her on the cheek softly.

“Narcissa?”

She turns, and Andromeda is standing there watching her. She motions into the living room and Narcissa follows the gesture, sitting down on the edge of the sofa. Andromeda clears her throat.

“Tea?” She asks. Narcissa nods, less because she actually wants tea and more because she’s supposed to accept. Andromeda steps up into the kitchen: Narcissa can see her. There’s no door, just an archway, but Andromeda is too busy fetching mugs and tea bags to watch her, so Narcissa tries to take in the room.

It’s a nice room, Narcissa supposes. The walls are a warm cream, the furniture wooden or brown, though the cushions are yellow and grey. It has Andromeda written all over it. Next to the armchair is a crib, softly swinging. There’s a knitted blanket over the back of the sofa. It’s a world away from home.

But despite how fascinating it is, Narcissa can’t help but sneak glances at Andromeda. She’s just finished with the tea (the presumably Muggle jug she was using to boil the water had started whistling, but Narcissa didn’t think that a heating charm was supposed to have been used—not if Andromeda’s guilty half-look had been any indication). She levitates the mugs into the room, moving two coasters before placing them down, and then she sits in the armchair.

“You look well,” Narcissa says, more to break the silence than anything else, but it’s not a lie. Andromeda does look well—very well, in fact. She’s put on weight: not a lot, and she’s still slender, but Druella would have had a fit. Her hair’s been brushed out and cut—again, not much, but enough that Narcissa can tell that it’s shorter than it ever has been. Her eyes are sparkling. It sounds like a strange thing to say, but they are.

Narcissa could never really see it when people commented on how similar Andromeda looked to Bellatrix, but she looks at this version and thinks that the old Andromeda may as well have been Bella’s clone in looks after all.

“Thank you,” Andromeda hesitates awkwardly. “You too.”

“Thank you.” Narcissa replies quietly. A heavy silence falls.

“How are mother and father doing?” Andromeda asks. Narcissa straightens, breaking out of her thoughts.

“They’re well,” she responds. This is more of a half-truth, to be honest—they are well, health-wise, and Druella is still picking at superficial problems and Cygnus still greets her every morning with a, “Hello, flower,” and a kiss on the forehead, but they’re quieter now. Not that she’s going to say that. They were never the most attentive parents. Dinners were silent and Narcissa’s high NEWT scores were mostly unacknowledged. But they did care, in their way.

Narcissa wonders what dinners are like with Andromeda’s new family.

“And Sirius and Reg?”

Narcissa smiles. “They’re good. Reg seems to have settled in well at Hogwarts.”

Andromeda nods. “I’m not surprised. He was always good at making friends. I bet Slughorn loves him.”

Slughorn does, in fact, love him. He loved all of them—or, rather, their connections. Narcissa isn’t surprised that Andromeda seems to know that Reg is in Slytherin (which she seems to, because she hasn’t asked). The Blacks were always Slytherins.

Or maybe Sirius just disobeyed his mother (again) and wrote to her.

Andromeda falls silent before her next question. “What about Bella?”

Narcissa hesitates. “Bella is—Bella.” _Bella is still a member of a radical purity organisation and yes, she does still hate you and your new family,_ is what she means by that. She thinks Andromeda knows though, because she bites her lip and looks down at her cup.

She hadn’t really wanted to bring up Bella. There was a lot of shouting when Andromeda had left, and Bellatrix had pulled out her wand.

When Aunt Walburga blasted Andromeda off the tree, Bellatrix had stood, smirking at the burn mark, then turned to Narcissa and said “If you wait long enough, it won’t just be a picture.”

So that’s not going to clear up any time soon.

“I’m getting married,” Narcissa offers. It’s a clear tactic to change the topic, and Andromeda hates how little her sister has changed. She nods anyway.

“I know,” she replies, tilting her head towards the newspaper. “I saw the announcement.”

There is a beat.

“Congratulations,” Andromeda offers, because she should. Narcissa gives her a smile—not smug, but clearly pleased.

“Thank you!” She replies, with more enthusiasm than she has all night. “We’re still planning it, of course, but we’re thinking early Autumn.” She catches Andromeda’s eye and quietens slightly. Andromeda is smiling at her indulgently, but she doesn’t really want to discuss this either, not with her estranged sister. Andromeda should be helping with the planning, but now she won’t even be there.

Andromeda seems to have caught onto her thought process. Hesitantly she reaches out a hand and places it on Narcissa’s knee.

She looks like she’s about to say something, but a weak cry comes from the crib. Andromeda is on her feet in an instant, leaning in and cooing to her daughter, lifting her up with a gasp. The girl has large eyes, and Andromeda hugs her to her chest, humming a soothing tune. Quieting, the girl snuggles into Andromeda’s chest. Narcissa’s face breaks into a small smile at the sight of her sister.

“What’s her name?” Narcissa asks. Andromeda looks up at her sister in surprise before smiling.

“Nymphadora.” She looks back down. “Dora for short.”

“Nymphadora?” Narcissa echoes. “That sounds familiar—wasn’t that the character from your book when you were younger?”

“I think so, yes.”

“Bella hated that name.”

Andromeda looks at her with a smirk. “She did, didn’t she?”

Narcissa tries not to laugh.

“Would you like to hold her?”

Narcissa’s eyes widen. “Really?” She gasps. “Er... yes. Please.”

Andromeda carefully hands over her daughter, the most precious thing in her life, to the sister she hasn’t seen in a year. Gingerly, Narcissa accepts the bundle, shifting her arms for comfort.

“She’s gorgeous,” Narcissa breaths. Andromeda gives a low chuckle.

“Yes, well. She’s difficult enough to make up for it.”

Narcissa laughs with her, but the noise shifted the baby. Nymphadora wakes with a huff, luckily much calmer this time. Rather than crying she just looks very disgruntled. Narcissa giggles again at the face she was making.

Eyes widening, Nymphadora gurgles, reaching for the stranger. She takes hold of Narcissa’s finger. The woman coos as her niece studies it with the utmost intent before her attention is stolen by a strand of white-blonde hair. The baby laughs and her hair, which had been a mousy brown, turns the same colour as her aunt’s. Narcissa tries not to shriek.

“A Metamorphmagus?” Narcissa exclaims, shocked. Andromeda nods.

“I know,” she smiles, clearly proud, shifting slightly to better see her daughter. “I was as shocked as you. We think it might be the new genetics.”

It is the first time she has mentioned her new husband. Narcissa turns her attention back to her niece, if only so she can avoid her sister’s eyes.

“I miss you.” She says eventually. She can’t think of anything else to say.

Andromeda sighs heavily next to her. “I know.” A beat. “You never replied to my letters.”

“I was angry.” Narcissa admits reluctantly.

“Was?”

Narcissa shrugs. “I don’t see the point anymore.” She looks back at her sister. Andromeda watchs her with a face so similar to Bellatrix and yet inordinately different. “You’re happy here.”

Andromeda gives a choked laugh.

“I am. I really am, Cissy, and you know—” She tilts her head. “You could be happy too. Come and stay here, with us. I know Ted won’t mind.”

Narcissa blinks. Her shoulders sag slightly. “I can’t, Andie.” She shakes her head and stands, moving to place Nymphadora back in her crib. “I just—”

She sits back down on the sofa. Andromeda reaches out to take her hand.

“I am happy.” She says finally. “Or—I’m content. And comfortable. I really do care for Lucius—” Andromeda’s nose wrinkles slightly and Narcissa tries not to laugh— “I know you don’t like him. But I think I could grow to love him, at least. And I don’t want to be blasted off the tree.”

“It’s just a tapestry,” Andromeda murmurs. She looks like she is about to cry. Narcissa feels the same. She nods.

“I know. But we’re different, Andie. I can’t leave.”

Andromeda watches her for what feels like an age. Then she nods and reaches out, using her thumb to wipe away a tear that Narcissa hadn’t even realised had escaped.

“Okay,” she whispers.

They sit there for a while until, in the distance, a bell chimes. Narcissa looks up with a gasp.

“I should be going,” she says, not really wanting to. Andromeda nods and rubs her eyes.

“Yeah,” she agrees. “Ted’ll be home soon. Um—” She looks around, flustered. “Right.”

They walk over to the front door, then they both stop.

“You know—” Andromeda bites her lip. “We won’t be able to see each other. Not once you’ve married Lucius Malfoy.”

Narcissa nods. “I know.” She grips Andromeda’s hand slightly tighter. “I know.”

Andromeda opens the door to the crisp air outside. She tucks one of Narcissa’s locks of hair behind her ear. “Write to me,” she orders. “If there’s something important, or you just want to talk, or whatever. Don’t worry about Lucius. Just make sure you send me a letter or a message somehow.”

“I will,” Narcissa agrees. “And same to you.”

The two sisters embrace.

“Love you, Cissy,” Andromeda whispers against her hair, kissing the side of her head.

Narcissa tries to hold back her tears. “Love you too,” she whispers. Then they pull apart. Narcissa gives her sister a watery smile.

“Goodbye, Andie,” she sighs. Then she turns and steps outside. Andromeda watches as her figure vanishes Into the night.


End file.
